What it Takes to Get that Six-Pack

The six-pack is the epitome of a person's dedication physical fitness. Desired by many and yet so few achieve this marvel of peak abdominal conditioning. What does it take to get six-pack abs? More work than you could ever imagine.

Most people believe that a six-pack comes from doing hundreds, maybe thousands, of sit-ups and crunches. While this helps, it is only a small part of what goes into developing abs of steel. To get the abs of a Greek god takes discipline in both the gym and the kitchen.

In the Gym

Exercises that focus on the abdominal muscles tend to build muscle in the area. While sit-ups, crunches, and ab rollouts are important components for getting six-pack abs, they lack one necessary attribute - the ability to burn fat.

Fat gathers in the stomach area and covers the abdominal muscles. In order to remove the fat, look to incorporate more cardiovascular exercises into your workout routine. Look to add 15-30 minutes on a treadmill, exercise bike, or elliptical to your regular regimen and watch the fat around your mid-section melt away.

In the Kitchen

Sticking with the subject of fat, burning off the unwanted mass is only part of the plan. A person looking to get six-pack abs must be mindful of what and when they eat. Attempting to burn off fat is pointless if you continue to eat meals high in calories and fat content.

Add more fruits and vegetables to your diet along with other low fat and low-calorie foods. In addition, eating more frequent, smaller meals throughout the day helps to boost your metabolism, allowing you to burn more calories while you rest. Not only will you be well on your way to seeing those six-pack abs you want, but you will also have more energy and shed pounds.

Meal preparation also helps to achieve your six-pack goal. To battle the desire to grab some fatty foods because of lack of time, prepare your meals for each day at the beginning of the week. Now, if you are running behind, you have a healthy meal ready to grab and go. It keeps your diet intact and saves you money as well.

Having a six-pack is a confidence booster. It is evidence that you work hard in the gym regularly as well as maintain a nutritionally balanced diet. Becoming dedicated in the gym and the kitchen takes work, but the results will amaze you once you have gained these disciplines. Get your workout clothes ready and prepare your shopping list. It is time to get that six-pack.

Madness

I couldn't wait to leave work and head to the exercise room. Once I got home, I decided that I would have a bit of coffee before I went to workout. Saw an article suggesting it and thought I would give it a try.

(61 Ways to Fight Fat)

This is what using coffee as a pre-workout gets you:

• 5 minutes Stationary Bike
• On Resistance 8
• 2 sets/15 reps Lat Pulldown 90 lbs
• 2 sets/8 reps Lat Pulldown 120 lbs
• 2 sets/4 reps Lat Pulldown 150 lbs
• 1 set/12 reps Dumbell Squat/Shoulder Press - 25 lb dumbbells
• 3 sets/5 reps Dumbell Squat/Shoulder Press - 40 lb dumbbells
• 150 Sit-ups (15 Sit-ups completed after each set of exercises)
• 2.5 minutes Stationary Bike
• On Resistance 8
• 1 set 15 reps Upright Row - 70 lbs
• 1 set 15 reps Upright Row - 90 lbs
• 1 set 10 reps Upright Row - 110 lbs
• 1 set 8 reps Upright Row - 130 lbs
• 3 sets 10 reps Dumbbell Squats 35 lb dumbbells
• 5 minutes Stationary Bike (cool down)
• 2.5 minutes on Resistance 5
• 2.5 minutes on Resistance 3

That was one heck of an hour. I wore myself out and it felt great. Probably not the best idea since I had to be at my overnight gig tonight, but who cares. It was a great workout.

Also, I received some free samples in the mail from Beast Sports Nutrition. I can't wait to try them out this holiday weekend.

Everyone enjoy their Labor Day.

Be safe, have fun, and #letsgetstrong.

Les Mills COMBAT: I'm actually on Day 47!!!

My hectic schedule actually had me thrown off quite a bit. With working two jobs and planning two fundraisers, I did my best to stick to the Les Mills COMBAT Warrior schedule, going so far as to cram two workout sessions in a day to keep pace. And here I am at Day 47.

Today was COMBAT 60 LIVE... again. That capoeira track remains a challenge. 

Still, I pushed through it all, working hard to maintain good form and keep up with the DVD trainers. Sweat poured from every part of my body, my favorite Superman shirt drenched with every drop of water I drank today. And, as always, I feel great.

Since beginning Les Mills COMBAT, I feel stronger throughout my body. I feel as though I can kick through any door and punch through several blocks of ice. That's how I feel. I'm not ready to try those things just yet.

I also feel lighter and leaner as I notice an increase in my overall muscle definition, albeit a slight increase. That's mainly due to my dietary struggles. I love to eat like most people and, unfortunately, my favorite foods tend to be high in sugar and salt. I've been trying my best to improve my diet, but I still tend to slip up more often than I should.

I'm proud to have made it this far in Les Mills COMBAT and although the end is near, I have no intention of stopping. The warm weather approaches. Spring lurks just around the corner. That means I'll look to hit the gym and to continue with the sessions. I'm also looking at other possible Beachbody workouts to add to my burgeoning collection.

I hope you're enjoying following my journey. Here's a sample of what I've been doing.

Check out Les Mills COMBAT and other Beachbody DVDs here: philipm78.

Check me out on Twitter here: @pmelton357.

Check out my facebook page here: Independent Beachbody Coach Philip A. Melton II.

#letsgetstrong

Les Mills COMBAT: Day... I lost count.

This weekend was the weekend to end all weekends.

I had to make up for lost time and doubled up my workouts on Friday and Sunday. Saturday, I felt the effects of doing two sessions (COMBAT 45 and COMBAT 60 LIVE) in between working two 8-hour shifts. I could have fallen asleep standing up and my body was sore all over.

On Sunday, the soreness died down and I completed the HIIT: Plyo and COMBAT 60 LIVE sessions. I slept like a babe that night. Today, I feel great. And I realized I only have 17 days left of Les Mills COMBAT. 17 DAYS!!!

Tonight, I'm set to complete the HIIT: Plyo session again, but what I want to discuss now is COMBAT 60 LIVE. This DVD has the video trainers performing a live session to a crowd of about... 400 is what I think they said. It has several aspects that differ from the previous kick/punch (or MMA-inspired, as they call it) sessions.

It consist of kick/punch combos with bobs and elbows sprinkled here and there. The most strenuous, and challenging, part comes in the form of a Capoeira segment. What you do is kick first and follow that kick with three lunges. It gets better.

Next, you do what's called an "esquiva," where you lunge out to the side and follow that with two lunges with your foot behind you. Finally, from the "esquiva" pose, you begin a combo that goes: knee, knee, back kick, knee. Whichever leg is in front does not move.

That combo is a balance killer. While attempting, I stumbled forward and I stumbled backward. I may have even stumbled upward. I've completed this session twice and while I have improved on the other segments (I particularly enjoy the triple elbow), I haven't seen much improvement in the "esquiva" segment.

I'm excited to be so close to finishing Les Mills COMBAT... for the first time. I'm planning on taking it the next level once I complete this initial run. More fun and excitement to come.

I'M A POWER RANGER!!!

Check out Les Mills COMBAT and other Beachbody DVDs here: philipm78.

Check me out on Twitter here: @pmelton357.

Check out my facebook page here: Independent Beachbody Coach Philip A. Melton II.

#letsgetstrong

Les Mills COMBAT: Day 16 - Power HIIT 1

Did I ever tell you how much I hate lunges? 

I hate them. They are a despicable exercise dreamed up by some sadistic personal trainer with legs the size of tree trunks. And he never really did any more than two and that was just to demonstrate how they are done. When no one is watching, he secretly only does squats.

Well, while doing the Les Mills COMBAT; Power HIIT 1 for the third time in three weeks, I would like to add my utter disdain for burpees, squats, deadlifts... pretty much any exercise that works the legs in general. If you have seen me in person, then you know this to be true.

For this reason, after I completed today's 30 minute session, I did:

• Leg extensions, 3 sets of 35 reps at 40 lbs.
• Leg curls, 3 sets of 25 reps at 40 lbs.

No longer will I neglect my foundation. If I am to see a significant change in my body, then it will be in my legs. I dream of the day my calves rip through my socks like Hulk Hogan tears through a too small tank top. I have a long way to go.

The extra leg exercises weren't all I did in addition to Power HIIT 1. I also added:

• Exercise ball sit-ups, 3 sets of 25 reps.
• Ab wheel oblique rollouts, 3 sets of 5 reps for each side.

And after a dinner of asparagus, baked chicken breast, and brown rice, I'm feeling really good.

Time to rest this weary body and getting my mind right for tomorrow's session.

If you're ready to grow and want to change your body, check out Les Mills COMBAT or any of the other programs Beachbody has to offer at beachbodycoach.com/philipm78.

Also, follow me at Twitter at @pmelton357.

Let's get in shape, let's have fun, and #letsgetstrong.

Les Mills COMBAT: Day 15 - COMBAT 60: Extreme Cardio Fighter

Here I am at the beginning of the third week of Les Mills COMBAT and it's time for something different... COMBAT 60: Extreme Cardio Fighter.

Sixty minutes of punching, kicking, knees, elbows, bobbing, and weaving. Plenty of moves to get the heart beating, the lungs working, and the sweat pouring. And I feel great.

The first two weeks of Les Mills COMBAT gets you prepared to take on this long session. Initially, I was hesitant because of the 60 minutes, but once I got going, I realized that I was ready to take on the challenge.

There are lots of combos to work through in this session, so it took some time getting my rhythm together. Of course, the punch combos full of jabs, crosses, uppercuts, and hooks came easily. It's the punch-kick combos and kick combos that require the most coordination.

Going from an uppercut with both arms to a back knee strike to a front kick is a lot for a beginner to handle at first. However, with each repetition, I got more comfortable performing the combination. Fatigue makes it hard to keep up with the combos as well. 

I'm glad that I was able to push myself and finish another session of Les Mills COMBAT. I'm enjoying every workout I do. Every session I complete, I feel better and better. Every morning after I feel I can take on the world... or at least do another session.

If you're ready to grow and want to change your body, check out Les Mills COMBAT or any of the other programs Beachbody has to offer at beachbodycoach.com/philipm78.

Also, follow me at Twitter at @pmelton357.

Let's get in shape, let's have fun, and #letsgetstrong.

Les Mills COMBAT: Days 9 & 10

So, I took a day off from posting yesterday, but I didn't take a day off from Les Mills COMBAT. I still got my work in with Power HIIT 1 yesterday and followed it up with an intense session of COMBAT 45: Power Kata today. 

Power HIIT 1

For the second time around, I prepared for Power HIIT 1. I used my straight barbell bar with 7.5lbs on each side along with my weighted gloves. Although the weight may be light, using it with Power HIIT 1 became challenging very quickly.

It really began to hit me once we started doing the squat to overhead press. My arms felt like they would give out at any moment. I made it through the first two sets, but for the last two, I just went with the gloves and a 2.5 lb plate in each hand. 

This was indeed a difficult session. I hope to see some improvement in my muscle endurance by the next Power HIIT 1 session. I finished, but I can't say that I was truly pleased with my performance. Still, I gave it my all.

COMBAT 45: POWER KATA

The martial arts based sessions, however, are getting easier. Although I stumbled here and there, I was able to keep up with my DVD trainers. The punch combinations come easily. There's still plenty of room for improvement with my kicks. 

Since I felt more comfortable with the Power Kata, I was motivated to push myself hard and maintained my intensity throughout the session. It really showed once the workout ended as you can see in this picture.

During the Power Kata, sweat dripped everywhere. At one point, I just closed my eyes and listened to the trainer's instructions. I'm getting closer to the point where I don't really have to watch the DVD to see how they position themselves. However, if you saw my kicks, you'd know that I do have room to grow.

If you're ready to grow and make a change, check out Les Mills COMBAT or any of the other programs Beachbody has to offer at beachbodycoach.com/philipm78.

Also, follow me at Twitter at @pmelton357.

Let's get in shape, let's have fun, and #letsgetstrong.

Les Mills COMBAT: Day 8 - COMBAT 30 Kick Start

Superbowl XXLIX.

It got me. Like almost everyone else, I watched the biggest football game of the year. I wanted to see the end result of all the trash talk, Skittles, and deflated footballs. And I saw the New England Patriots beat the Seattle Seahawks for another Superbowl title.

After that, I hit the play button on the DVD player. Back to Les Mills COMBAT and COMBAT 30 Kick Start.

With this being the third time I've done this session in 8 days, it was far easiest than it was on day 1. Still, I got a good workout in and a great sweat.

Also, I'm getting better with keeping my balance throughout the kick repetitions as well as keeping up with the guys on the DVD. It feels good when you see the change happening due to your effort and dedication. What can be more motivating than that?

Start your path to change and check out beachbodycoach.com/philipm78.

Also, follow me at Twitter at @pmelton357.

Let's get in shape, let's have fun, and #letsgetstrong.

Les Mills COMBAT: Day 6 - COMBAT 30 Kick Start

Day 6 of Les Mills COMBAT and we're back at the beginning. Back to the COMBAT Kick Start DVD and I decided to, like yesterday, add some light weight training after the session. 

I feel great!!! 

Had a good sweat and a good workout. I kept my own pace throughout the workout to make sure I used good form. Overall, today's session was low on struggle, but high on intensity and accuracy. 

I also added some resistance by wearing my weighted gloves. I don't plan to wear them often, but I was curious to see how challenging they would make it.

So, after kicking and punching my invisible opponent to death, I did the following:

• Bench press - 2 sets of 20 at 70lbs
• Leg extensions - 2 sets of 35 at 25lbs
• Leg curls - 2 sets of 25 at 25 lbs
• Upright row - 2 sets of 15 at 70 lbs
• Ab roll out with Ab Wheel - 2 sets of 15

Did I mention that I feel great? And with tomorrow being a rest day, I've officially completed my first week of Les Mills COMBAT. Nothing like a sense of accomplishment to keep you motivated, especially when it comes to physical fitness.

I'm going to have to fight the urge tomorrow to workout. My body needs the rest and I want to be ready for week number 2. I'm excited about my progress in just this week alone. And I'll continue to challenge myself even further than what the Les Mills COMBAT series has in store for me. Results are what I'm looking for and RESULTS are what I will get.

If you are looking to change your body and want results as much as I do, check out the Les Mills COMBAT series or the many other programs BeachBody has to offer at beachbodycoach.com/philipm78.

Also, follow me at Twitter at @pmelton357.

Let's get in shape, let's have fun, and #letsgetstrong.

Les Mills COMBAT: Day 3 - Power Kata

Ok. Somewhere between 34 and 36, this happened.

I like food. Love it even. The more, the merrier. If the looks good and it tastes good, 9 times out of 10, I'm eating it. That fact is showing on my physique a little more than I like. Enter Les Mills COMBAT.

Today's workout went well. The struggle I had with endurance during the previous workouts wasn't as bad today, even with the workout being 45 minutes long. I kept moving throughout the entire session and I felt great afterward.

The Power Kata workout took me back to kicking and punching. I have to admit that it feels good to exercise like you're training for a fight. I did have issues with completing the combinations because my form needs work. Seems like I always finished in an awkward position compared to the guys on the DVD. I hope my balance improves as I continue with these workouts so I'm better able to transition between the different kicks and punches.

Tomorrow is a rest day and I'm going to take full advantage of it. I'm sore all over, but in a great way. So far, the Les Mills COMBAT program is fun and I'm looking forward to getting back at it on Thursday.

Don't let me have all the fun. Check out the Les Mills COMBAT workout for yourself. Go to beachbodycoach.com/philipm78 and order your copy today.
Also, follow me on Twitter at @pmelton357.

 

Let's get in shape, let's have fun, and #letsgetstrong.

The Awesome Ab Wheel

The ab wheel creates rock hard abs. It may be the best investment you can make for getting yourabdominal muscles in shape. Adding the ab wheel to a routine filled with sit-ups and crunches will do wonders for your midsection. This timeless and simple piece of home fitness equipment will turn your core muscles into a powerhouse of strength and stability.

Using the Ab Wheel I've had my ab wheel for years and believe me when I say mastering the ab wheel is no easy feat. It requires upper body strength to maintain balance while using. Beginners should start slow. Perform as many repetitions as you can. The more repetitions you do, the more comfortable you'll be with using the ab wheel.

The ab wheel rollout is the basic exercise to perform using the ab wheel. Start from a kneeling position, holding your upper body up by placing your hands on the ab wheel's handles. Roll forward until your arms are parallel to the floor, keeping your back in its natural, straight form. Finally, return to the starting position to complete the repetition.

Advanced Ab Wheel Exercises Once you've built up your strength with the ab rollout, you can alter the way you use the ab wheel to target your oblique muscles. From the same kneeling position as with the ab rollout, roll forward, veering your upper body either to the left or to the right. Another variation, for more experienced ab wheel users, involves doing the ab rollout from a standing position.

Muscles Used Aside from your core muscles, the ab wheel calls upon other muscles group needed to maintain stability throughout the exercise. Muscles in your upper back and arms hold you up while your roll the ab wheel forward. If they are not strong enough, you may not make it back to the starting position. Over time, those muscles will strengthen along with your core muscles as you use the ab wheel more. This makes the ab wheel a compound workout that engages your entire upper body.

Compact and Affordable Beyond its ability to give your abs a great workout, the ab wheel also possesses the attributes of being portable and economical. Lightweight and compact, it travels well. In fact, you can use it just about anywhere, from the office at work to a hotel room. The ab wheel also has a reasonable price. You can find them for as little as $7.00. I found mine at a Goodwill store for only $3.00.

If a six-pack is your goal, then invest in an ab wheel. Incorporate it into your workout and watch the transformation happen. Although it may be difficult to use in the beginning, don't give up. Keep pushing until you can blast out three sets of ten. The benefits of strengthening your core muscles go far beyond their aesthetic value. Having strong abs will help with the general movements people tend to do in everyday life. Go invest in an ab wheel today and be a witness to the changes it can do for you.